“Don’t forget God.”
Such was the advice Bishop Joseph Williams gave to the Class of 2026 during Baccalaureate Masses and graduation ceremonies across the Diocese of Camden.
As these young women and men prepare to pursue higher education, the workforce, military service and more, Bishop Williams implored them to keep their ears and hearts open to the Lord.
“Let the Word of God, rich as it is, dwell in you,” he said, quoting the wisdom of Saint Paul.
Across South Jersey, nearly 800 graduates walked the stage during commencement exercises at the end of May and first week of June. They hailed from the five diocesan high schools: Camden Catholic, Cherry Hill; Gloucester Catholic, Gloucester City; Holy Spirit, Absecon; Paul VI, Haddonfield; and Wildwood Catholic Academy, North Wildwood; as well as the three religious order high schools in the Diocese of Camden: Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, Pennsauken; Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Newfield; and Saint Augustine Preparatory School, Richland.
At each and every celebration, school faculty and administration, graduates’ family and friends, and numerous clergy gathered together to honor the students’ accomplishments.
“We have a glimpse of magnificent humanity in these graduates,” Bishop Williams said during the Baccalaureate Masses he celebrated, referencing the recent encyclical from Pope Leo XIV, “Magnifica Humanitas,” which addresses the potentials and perils of artificial intelligence.
“AI is changing our world fast,” he said, adding that young Catholics must ask themselves, “What are we doing with this technology, and how is it serving us?” Without God on their minds during this discernment, our “beautiful humanity can be subjugated, not served.”
“Do our phones, laptops and tablets serve our magnificent humanity?” Bishop Williams asked. “Does AI make me seek truth, or power? Does it make me seek likes, or love? All of us have to ask that, if we want to be more human, if we want to be free.”
To use artificial intelligence responsibly, he noted, one must find two things this emerging technology cannot provide: wisdom and wonder.
“All of the knowledge accumulated in the world that is at our fingertips will not get us one inch closer to wisdom,” he said. “Only the Word of God [will do so].”
Bishop Williams went on to explain that it was while studying pre-med as a young adult – and fascinated by science – that he grew in this wisdom and wonder, courtesy of a Bible study he was invited to. He was fascinated, he said, to see how his questions about the origin of the universe intersected with Scripture. In an evening of unpacking Scripture, “scientific worldview was integrated into the Word of God.”
In cultivating this wonder for themselves, graduates must bring it “to the altar of God,” he urged. In doing so comes the realization that one’s being is marvelous. “Don’t forget Sunday worship. It will preserve the wonder of your own being.”
Expressing his pride in the students, Bishop Williams pointed to recent studies showing that their generation is the first in decades to be more religious than their parents. “Isn’t that awesome?” he said. “The Holy Spirit is doing something in you.”
As these individuals from the Class of 2026 prepared to take their next steps, many noted that they will miss their high school days.
Camden Catholic’s Sean McGettigan, who will be attending the University of South Carolina, said he will “miss the friends and family I’ve made along the way. I’ve made great friendships since freshman year, including those who have graduated.”
Benjamin Maley reflected on the supportive and encouraging community he found at Paul VI High School. “Whether it was knowing somebody my entire time at Paul VI, or meeting them for the first time, there was always a connection. We’re a big family,” said Maley, who will be double majoring in management and theology at Providence College in Rhode Island.
Gianna Cianfrani, also from Paul VI, said she’s “going to miss the people who have the same passions I do,” such as student council and track, but is hopeful to find like-minded individuals at Lehigh University next fall. “I’m excited to get involved.”
Similarly, Holy Spirit High School’s Zoé Dhyne said, “I will miss the staff and my friends the most because they really pushed me to do my best and made this [place] feel like home.”
While Sebastian Torres admits he will miss all the clubs, extracurricular activities and more that he has been involved with at Camden Catholic, he is looking forward to applying what he has learned to network with others at American University in Washington, D.C.
He’s not alone, as more than 760 graduates from the five diocesan Catholic high schools and three religious order Catholic high schools will go on to two- and four-year colleges. Thirteen are going into military service.
Of the five diocesan high schools, 86% of the 551 graduates will attend four-year colleges next year. More than $123 million in combined academic and athletic scholarships was distributed to these individuals.
When it comes to Bishop Eustace, Saint Augustine and Our Lady of Mercy Academy, 96% of the 257 graduates will be going on to four-year colleges, with more than $107 million combined academic and athletic scholarships distributed.
Michael Bress, communications and marketing manager for the diocesan Office of Catholic Schools, contributed to this article.
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